Castle
by Pearl730
Summary: This story takes place right after the season 7 finale.
1. Chapter 1

Rick and Kate are lying together on their bed when Beckett's alarm went off.

Kate: Rick it's time, I have to get to work now.

Rick: Can't you just wait one more minute?

Kate: I wish.

She leans over and gives him a quick sweet kiss on the lips. She then slips into the bathroom to get dressed. When she finally exits the bathroom she is surprised to find the bed empty.

Kate: Rick? Richard? Castle? Castle where are you?

Rick: One minute, I'm coming.

Beckett was putting on the finishing touches of her makeup when Castle walked into the room.

Rick: Kate, are you ready for you first day as captain?

Kate: You bet I am, I am a bit nervous but really excited at the same time.

Rick: I got you a little something to show you how proud i am of you.

Rick pulls out black velvet box and hands it to Kate. Kate opens the box and inside is lying the most gorgeous tennis bracelet she had ever seen.

Kate: Rick it's stunning, i absolutely love it.

She leans in and kisses him passionately when her phone rings.

Rick: Ignore it, don't pick up.

Kate ignores him and picks up the phone anyway.

Kate: Beckett, We will be right there.

Alexis came barging into the room sobbing uncontrolably.

Rick: Alexis, honey whats wrong?

Alexis: Maddie was found dead on a park bench this morning.

Rick: Maddie Reed, your friend Maddie the one whose wedding you attended last night.

Alexis: That's the one.

Rick: What happened?

Alexis: I don't know dad, I texted her this morning curious to find out how her first night as a married woman was. Since she had just gotten married i wasn't overly concerned when she didn't text me back. I started to worry when her boss called me saying she had planned on coming into work today and had never showed. I tracked her phone to a bench in times square when i got there she was dead, I called the precinct and then came right here. Dad can you help me find out whoever did this to her.

Rick: Of course we will pumpkin.

Kate: Alexis can i talk to your dad privately for a moment?

Alexis: Of course.

Alexis stepped out of the room into the hallway. And Kate began to talk.

Kate: The call i got right before Alexis came into the room was Esposito telling me we have a case waiting for us at the office.

Rick: Is it this one?

Kate: I don't know Rick

Rick: I promised Alexis I would help her solve this case.

Kate: I know you want to help Alexis but there are rules that I must follow as captain, and now that you have officially been instated as detective to take me over you can't just go around solving your own cases.

Rick: So what do we do now?

Kate: We will both go to the precinct we will find out what case we have, if it is this case we will make it a top priority, if it isn't we will make our case top priority so that we can eventually get to this case and help your daughter find her friends killer.

Castle and Beckett leave their house together. The elevator in the precinct opens and Beckett and Castle walk out.

Kate: Esposito can you fill me in on the case please.

Kevin: A bride was found in times square:

Rick: That's Maddie

Javi: Whose Maddie?

Rick: The bride on the bench in times square she is Alexis's best friend.

Kevin: Wait this was the friend she was a brides maid for?

Rick: Yeah the wedding was yesterday, and today she was found dead still wearing her wedding dress.

Javi: How do you know all of this?

Rick: Alexis came home this morning asking if we can find her friends killer

Javi: Well then what are we all waiting for let's go.

Rick: Kate will you be okay here by yourself?

Kate: Actually i think i will come out into the field with you on this one. Ryan, Espo you two go ahead and canvass out the area. Castle you wait here for me i will be out in a minute.

Kate walks away from the desks and goes into her office, she puts down her bag takes a quick look around when the phone rings and she picks up.

Kate: Captain Beckett, yes sir, i understand, i will be right there.

Kate hangs up the phone and walks quickly out of her office.

Kate: Castle go and join the boys over at the crime scene i will join you there later.

Rick: Kate, where are you going now?

Kate: 1PP something important came up they need me there right now.

Rick: Okay good luck.

Castle gives Beckett a quick kiss in the elevator. When they exit the elevator Rick gets into his cop car while Beckett gets into hers. Castle joins the others at the crime scene. They spend 7 hours looking at the crime scene and talking to witnesses before they arrest the groom for killing the bride. Castle walks out of the interrogation room and heads straight for Beckett's office, the office looks exactly as it did when Beckett left it this morning. Castle takes out his phone and calls Kate, he hangs up when her voicemail picks up.

Rick: Goodnight gentlemen

Kevin: Night Castle.

Castle leaves the precinct and heads straight home. When he opens the door Alexis is sitting there waiting for him.

Alexis: Is it true? Did Nate really kill her

Rick: I'm so sorry Alexis, unfortunately it is the truth.

Alexis: But how? Why, i thought he really loved her.

Rick: Apparently Maddie was supposed to inherit a huge trust fund the moment she got married. Nate found out about it and figured that if he married her and then she was killed as her grieving husband he would get the money. Thanks to you his plan didn't work as he will now live the rest of his life in prison.

Alexis: Poor Maddie, she was so happy with him and the entire time it was all a scam to get her money.

Rick: I know honey, i'm really sorry.

Alexis: It's not your fault dad, thanks for solving the case though it really means a lot to me.

Rick: Glad i was able to help.

Castle's cell phone rings and Alexis leaves the room to him privacy.

Rick: Castle

Javi: Castle is Beckett there with you?

Rick: No, why whats up?

Javi: I just got a call from 1PP saying that they were supposed to have a meeting with Beckett earlier this morning and she never showed up they tried calling her and she didn't pick up. I told them i will call you and see if you have heard from her.

Rick: No, last i saw her she was going to the meeting in 1PP.

Javi: I will let them know that Beckett is missing.

Rick: I am coming to the precinct don't do anything without me.

Javi: We will be waiting.

Rick gets up to leave the house as Martha walks in.

Martha: Rick where are you going?

Rick: To the precinct Beckett is missing.

Martha: What do you mean missing?

Rick: Gone, no where to be found

Martha: Richard go, Alexis and i will stay here in case Katherine comes back.

Rick: Thanks mother.

Alexis: Dad what's going on?

Martha: Beckett is missing your dad is going to the precinct now to try and find her.

Alexis: Dad, i think i might know where Beckett may be.


	2. Chapter 2

Rick, who had one foot out the door stopped in his tracks and turned around to face his daughter.

Rick: What do you mean you think you may know where Beckett is? Where is she?

Alexis: Dad if she is where i think she is then you should give her some space. I can go there and find her if it would make you feel better but i don't think you should go looking for her.

Rick: Alexis what exactly is going on? Beckett said she was going to a meeting in 1PP but she never showed up there. Where is she.

Alexis: Dad i don't know but i know that you shouldn't go searching for her.

Rick: Why the hell not, she is my wife i need to know where she is.

Alexis: Haven't you learned by now that sometimes there is information that you are better off not knowing about.

Rick: Your right but not when it comes to my wife. Look if you won't tell me where she is then i will be heading down to the precinct to help Ryan and Esposito find her.

Alexis: Go i will try and help from here.

Rick: Thanks Alexis i love you.

Alexis: Bye dad.

Rick left the loft and Martha went upstairs leaving Alexis alone in the living room. Alexis took out her phone and called Beckett. The call went straight to voicemail. Alexis waited five minutes and then retried Beckett but once again she was sent to voicemail. After getting sent to voicemail 15 times in a row Alexis finally had to agree that there was something going on here and she had no clue what it was.

Rick arrives at the precinct to find only to find Ryan and Esposito huddled together around Ryan's desk looking extremely concerned.

Rick: What have you got boys?

Kevin: Nothing, Castle we've got nothing.

Rick: What do you mean by nothing?

Javi: We tried tracking her phone but it was turned off as soon as she left the precinct so that was a dead end. We ran your financials and she hasn't used a credit card or taken out cash all day.

Kevin: We ran through all the surveillance cameras around the precinct and nothing we lost her once she started walking towards her car.

Rick: I told her i didn't like that you can't see her parking space on the camera, she told me that as Captain they gave her a little more privacy.

Kevin: Castle no use getting mad about that now, we are doing everything we can to find Beckett. But you need to give us a little time we are running solo on this one as we have no Captain.

The phone rang and Esposito picked it up.

Javi: Detective Esposito, Yes she is, what do you mean? Look i understand that is what she wants but tell her that she knows that we can't do that. If you let me speak to her we will think about it. If i don't talk to her now we continue looking for her.

Kate: Javi?

Esposito put the phone on speaker.

Javi: Beckett is that you?

Kate: Yes its me

Rick: Kate where are you? What's going on.

Kate: Look i can't talk for long but i just want you to know that i am safe, you don't have to come looking for me. I want you all to work on the case that came in this morning and I will be back before you know it.

Rick: Kate don't hang up just because you don't want us to trace the call.

Kate: Babe, i'm sorry but i really have to go. I love you Castle.

Kate hung up the phone before he had a time to respond.

Rick: Did you get it?

Kevin: I'm sorry Castle she hung up before we had a chance.

Rick: She knows our playbook way to well.

Javi: But it is that knowledge that brought her to be our captain.

Kevin: What good is it having her as a Captain if we don't know where she is.

Javi: She sounded okay though, that's a good thing right.

Lanie walks up to them and gives Castle a hug.

Lanie: Is it true about Beckett is she really missing.

Javi: Unfortunately it is true

Lanie: What can i do to help?

Javi: Keep us grounded

They all laugh a little as the fire alarm goes off in the precinct.

Rick: What is that noise? That doesn't sound good.

Kevin: It's the fire alarm Castle.

Rick: Yeah i know what it is, that's not what i meant, whatever is it real or is it a drill.

Lanie: By looks of the smoke coming out of the elevator i would assume it is a real fire.

They all rush towards the staircase and they run down as fast as their legs can carry them. They get out of the building just as the fire trucks pull up. They stand there for an hour watching the firemen do their jobs until a fireman walks up to them.

Fireman: Gentelmen we need you to clear the vicinity.

Kevin: Leave the precinct but why? It looks like you are almost done getting rid of the fire. We work here we are in middle of a high profile case, our captain went missing this morning.

Fireman: I understand sir however i am required by my Captain to have you all vacate the premises.

Javi: Castle i know you want to be here in case Beckett comes back but there is nothing more we can do from here the precinct is out of commission right now, i suggest we go to your house and continue working on the case from there.

Kevin: Guys i have no problem helping you find Beckett but you heard her, she doesn't want to be found, she knows our rules better than all of us combined, she knows what steps we will take to get her back if she doesn't want to be found she has the upper hand.

Javi: How do you know that what she said on the phone she wanted to say. We have no way of knowing if she was kidnapped and forced to say that to us just so we stop looking for her.

Rick: Ryan, Espo is right i will not stop looking for Kate until she comes back now Ryan you can either help me or not but i am not giving up.

Lanie: Wait you boys spoke to Kate?

Kevin: Yeah some dude called the precinct telling us that Beckett asked him to call us to let us know she is okay and doesn't want to be found.

Lanie: And you believe she is okay?

Kevin: Yeah, she said she was safe not okay. Safe makes me believe that she really is safe, i know she used that word for a reason.

Rick: Kevin your a genious.

Castle walks off before anyone has a chance to ask him what it was he just figured out. The boys and Lanie follow him all the way to the loft where Castle opens the door runs directly into his office goes to his safe puts in the code and opens it.

Rick: The safe, its empty

Kevin: What was in it?

Rick: Our marriage license, cash and a bunch of papers that Beckett didn't want me looking at.

Lanie: And you never looked at them.

Rick: Well honestly, i really wanted to and there were times when i came as close as opening the safe but then something inside me made me stop in my tracks, i never looked at them.

Javi: So what do you think happened here?

Kevin: How much cash was in that safe?

Rick: Twenty thousand dollars.

Javi: Twenty thousand dollars!

Kevin: No wonder why we couldn't trace her through money she has enough money to last her a really long time.

Lanie: Ryan i don't think that Castle needed to hear that. Okay lets put our heads together and see what we do know as to where Beckett is.

They walk together to the living room and sit down on the couches. Castle is between Kevin and Javi and Lanie is sitting across from them.

Lanie: What do we know?

Rick: That Beckett walked out of here with her marriage license, her passport and twenty thousand dollars cash. She may or may not want us finding her, she asked us to continue working this mornings case which tells me that she hasn't heard in the news that we already got the killer.

Kevin: What if she only told us to continue working on the case to make us believe she doesn't know we got the killer or to make us think we got the wrong killer in order for us to stop searching for her.

Javi: I don't know that doesn't really sound like a Beckett thing to do except that none of this looks like a Beckett thing to do.

Rick: We all have known Kate for a really long time now, we know she likes being miserable and that it will take a lot of time for her to come to terms with being okay with just being my wife but Espo is right as much as it no longer looks like a kidnapping i don't think Kate would do this to any of us.

Just then the door opens up and Alexis walks in.

Alexis: Dad where have you been i've been trying to reach you for the past 3 hours.

Rick looks in his pockets and then reality hits him.

Rick: I left my phone on your desk. Lets go back to the precinct maybe we will have better luck there.

Before Alexis had a chance to reply they all got up and ran out the door. They got back to the precinct and were happy to see that the fire department had already left. When they got upstairs to their desks the room looked exactly as it had when they left 4 hours earlier. Rick walked over to Beckett's old desk which was now his he looked at the placard on the desk and smiled as he read Detective Richard Castle. He then picked up his phone and was startled as a piece of paper fell off the desk. Castle bent down and picked up the paper the first side was blank so he turned it over and read it. His face turned white as a sheet.

Kevin: Castle whats wrong.

Rick: Beckett was here.


	3. Chapter 3

Javi: What do you mean here?

Rick: Here as in the precinct here

Kevin: When, how, why didn't she tell us?

Rick: She left me a note

Lanie: Are you sure its from her?

Rick: Its her hand writing and its signed at the bottom.

Javi: What does it say?

Lanie: Javi

Rick: Lanie, its alright.

Rick hands Ryan the note and Ryan reads the note out loud.

Kevin: "Hey babe it's me, I really hope you are not worrying, i'm sorry about this i will be back home as soon as i can. I love you." and its signed Kate. Are we really going to believe that Beckett is the one who wrote this note?

Rick: The person who wrote this note would have had to have known that i would have come back here to pick up my phone in case Beckett called. I really don't understand what is going on here.

Javi: None of us do Castle.

Ryan's phone rings and he picks it up.

Kevin: Jenny hi, i'm sorry i'm not home yet but Beckett's gone missing its going to be a crazy night. Okay i understand i will be right there.

Ryan hangs up.

Kevin: The baby is sick and Jenny needs me at home right now, I'm really sorry Castle. I will be back tomorrow keep me updated.

Rick: It's okay Ryan go, your first obligation is to be with your family. I think i want to go home alone now anyway.

Once Ryan left they all decided to call it quits for the day and go home. Castle walked into his house and Martha and Alexis were already asleep. Alexis was really sweet and had left him a note on the kitchen table telling Castle that if he needed to he can wake her up. Rick decided to let his daughter sleep while he tried finding Kate by himself.

When Rick walked into the precinct the next morning the boys noticed that he hadn't slept at all. They spent the entire day putting together theories and trying to find clues to Beckett's whereabouts but to no avail. Every step they took, every clue they had only lead them to another dead end.

For a week straight they would focus on their new cases and at night and during coffee breaks they would try to locate Beckett after a week they had to come to terms with the idea that maybe Beckett just didn't want to be found.

Rick: Where are you guys heading off to in such a rush?

Javi: The morgue, Lanie called us that a dead body was just brought to her,

Kevin: You going to come join us Castle?

Rick: Guys, i think i want to take the next couple of days off to get my life back in order.

Kevin: Its understandable Castle go, enjoy let us know when you want to come back to work.

Rick: Thanks boys i really appreciate it.

Just then Lanie walks in and turns to face Castle

Lanie: Castle can i see you in the morgue alone please?

Rick: Sure.

Castle follows Lanie down to the morgue.

Rick: Lanie, whats going on is it Beckett, do you know where she is, is she alright?

Lanie: Why don't you go see for yourself

Lanie opens the doors to the morgue and lets Castle walk in first. There lying on the table is none other than Beckett.

Rick: This can't be there has to be some mistake

Lanie: I don't think so Castle it looks like her

Rick: Are you sure this isn't Tyson playing with us again, like he did when he killed your and Javi's look a likes.

Lanie: Tyson is dead and you know that, you were there when Esposito killed him. Beckett killed Nieman as well. I don't think this is fake Castle, I'm really sorry.

Rick: How can this be, this isn't possible Kate is alive and i know it, this this isn't real.

Castle walks out of the morgue in a daze only to bump head first straight into Ryan and Esposito.

Javi: Watch where your going man

Kevin: Wow, Castle are you okay what's going on.

Lanie: Guys you need to see this

Javi: See what,

Lanie: The dead body, the person its...

Kevin: Beckett! How the hell did she end up here and dead, no i'm sorry Lanie this, this is all wrong.

Javi: Poor Castle i can't even begin to imagine what he is going through.

Kevin: Do you have the autopsy report yet

Lanie: I didn't want to run it without permission from Castle first.

Javi: What did he say

Lanie: Nothing much, the same as you Kevin that this can't be Beckett. He thought it was the doing of the 3xk actually but i had to remind him that Jerry Tyson is dead.

Kevin: What do we do now?

Lanie: I will wait for Castle's okay then i will run the reports and you will go and find the son of a bitch who killed Beckett and put him away for a long long time.

Javi: Does his family know?

Lanie: I called Martha and Alexis they should be here any minute now.

Martha and Alexis arrived outside the morgue to find Castle pacing in the hallway looking like a complete mess

Martha: Oh Richard, i am so sorry. Is it really true is Katherine really gone.

Rick: No mother it cant be.

Martha helped Castle walk back into the morgue and she took a look for herself at the dead body lying on the table.

Martha: Richard!

Martha burst into tears while hugging Castle while Alexis just stood there staring completely shocked.

Alexis: Out of all the women my dad dated or married Kate was the only one to actually treat me like a daughter and that is including my own mother. Why why did this have to happen.

Lanie: Oh honey, i'm so sorry.

Alexis: Do we know who did this to her, why they did it?

Lanie: Not yet sweetie but we will catch them i promise you we will.

Alexis: When my dad first told me that Beckett was missing i thought she just needed space and that she went up to the house in the hamptons but now i am sorry i didn't help him more.

Kevin: Alexis we all are. There had to have been more that we could have done to prevent this.

The doors to the morgue open, no one looks up, no one cares to know who walked it they are all too upset and angry to talk to anyone else.

Kate: Prevent what? And what are you all doing down here in the morgue when you are supposed to be working on a murder investigation?

Rick: Beckett!

Kate runs over to Rick and hugs him tightly

Kate: Castle!

They kiss passionately until Castle pulls away.

Kate: Why does everyone look so depressed and why are Martha and Alexis here?

Lanie: Beckett the dead body i think you need to see this.

Kate walks over to the table and takes a look at the person lying on the table

Kate: What the hell. Who is this

Kevin: Well up until a minute ago we thought it was you.

Kate: I can see why, but it's not me, i'm me and i'm very much alive.

Rick: How do we know that the girl lying on table isn't Kate and that you are someone else pretending to be her?

Kate: Good one Castle. Its me Beckett i promise.

Rick: Where have you been we spent a week looking for you.

Kate: Castle i'd rather not discuss that here, please not now, i will tell you everything i promise but in private.

Lanie: Uh guys this person isn't really a person it's a 3d copy of Beckett.

Javi: What do you mean?

Lanie: This is a fake its not a real person

Kevin: So someone wanted us to think that Beckett was dead, who and why?

Javi: Beckett i think you have some explaining to do. Where were you this past week and why couldn't you tell us.

Beckett: Guys as your captain I am respectfully telling you to back off. Castle can we go somewhere private to discuss what happened this week. Boys i want you to try and figure out where this manican came from.

Kevin: Yes sir.

Martha: Katherine, i am so glad to see that you are alive and well you really had us all worried there and to see you lying there dead on the table, don't ever do that to us again. Richard didn't deserve that.

Kate: Your right Martha he didn't. I am really sorry Castle

Alexis: I am glad your back Kate.

Kate: And i am glad to be back here

Martha and Alexis each hugged Beckett before walking out of the morgue together.

Rick: Now that it's just the two of us in here can you tell me where you've been?

Kate: Can we talk about it at home

Rick: I don't think i can wait until later Kate.

Kate: Who said anything about later.

Castle and Beckett went home together, the entire trip was spent in a comfortable yet slightly awkward silence. When they got home Beckett walked straight to the couch and Castle followed right behind her.

Rick: Kate, this is killing me, what is going on.

Kate: Rick i want you to know that despite what happened this week i love you, more than you can ever imagine.

Rick: I know that Kate, can you please tell me what i don't know.

Kate: On Monday morning after we left the precinct together i was supposed to go to a meeting at 1pp. I got in my car and started driving when i got a phone call from my doctor.

Rick: Your doctor, why would he be calling you?

Kate: I hadn't been feeling well for a while so i went to see him a two weeks ago, he ran a couple of tests and then he called me on Monday telling me he had to talk the results of the test over with me as soon as possible.

Rick: Kate, if you weren't feeling well why didn't you tell me.

Kate: I didn't want you to worry about me.

Rick: It's my job as your husband to worry about you Kate.

Kate: I know but sometimes i wish you wouldn't worry.

Rick: So what did the doctor say?

Kate: I skipped the meeting at 1pp went straight to his office and spoke with him.

Rick: And?

Kate: I um I

Rick: Kate, what's wrong, whatever it is I am here for you, you know that, we will get you the best doctors money is not a problem, please Kate just tell me i can handle it, i am here for you every step of the way. Kate I love you.

Kate: I know Castle.

Rick: Honey what is it?

Kate: Rick, I'm pregnant... with twins.


End file.
